Nature of the Beast
by Reona
Summary: Something is out to kill Malcolm or Trip while the Enterprise is being attacked by an unknown enemy and being boarded. The crew is out numbered and things are not going well. Will everything be all right? Or is this The End? T/R Complete.


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This is something that started out as a funny short and changed into something looking serious and just turned out to be absurd. So, we now have 27 pages of foolishness. 

There is quite a bit of violence in this story, so I must rate it PG 13.

I do put myself in the story but there are no Mary Sues or PPP (Practically Perfect Persons) in this story. I also make fun of a bunch of Enterprise rules.

This story has an established relationship between Trip and Malcolm. T/R slash. Nothing beyond kissing in this story. 

Definition

Plot Bunny: a physical representation of a story that looks like a rabbit with long ears. Can be found sitting on top of any author's computer…along side their cat. 

I would like to thank silverwyvern for agreeing to beta read this story!

Enjoy!

reona32@aol.com

Reona

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Nature of the Beast

A young woman walked onto the Bridge from the turbolift and paused to sweep her eyes around the room. No one was in the small situation alcove to her right but both Captain Archer and Sub-Commander T'Pol were standing close by on her left, the pair staring at the sensors of the Vulcan's station. Towards the front of the Bridge, Hoshi and Travis were both sitting at their posts, communications and navigation respectively. The woman's eyes moved to across the room and lit upon the tactical officer sitting behind his station with arms folded. Malcolm appeared to be watching something quite interesting underneath the large console. 

The young woman's gray eyes sparked as she smiled and began to move across the Bridge. Her brown hair was half pulled back by a rubber band and gold rim glasses perched on her nose. She wore faded blue jeans with a hole in the right knee and a thin long sleeved white shirt under a red tee, a star burst in glitter on her front. Hanging on her back was a ragged tiger shaped backpack, the arms, legs, and head of the orange thing flopping all over the place. The zipper on the right side of the animal's stomach may or may not have been closed properly. Old, once white tennis shoes and a beat up watch on her left wrist completed the look. The oddest thing about this young person on the Enterprise's Bridge was that she carried a white rabbit in her arms. 

The woman bounced down the step and stopped in front of Malcolm on the opposite side of the console. "Hi Malcolm." she greeted cheerfully.

The man looked up and a small smile graced his face. "Hello Reona." he said, greeting the webmistress and author of the dimension he was currently living in. Never mind that he was completely at the mercy of the young person's every whim. His gazed dropped to the animal in her arms. "What is that? And what is it doing on the Enterprise?" he asked, suspicious.

Reona blushed and readjusted the white furred and floppy eared creature she held. "A plot bunny." she answered with a sigh. "I found it loitering around Sickbay and didn't want another fight between it and one of Phlox's menagerie." 

Malcolm leaned back, a weary look in his eyes. "A plot bunny? Around Sickbay?" he echoed.

Reona rushed to reassure him. "It's all right. This is a good plot bunny. Bad plot bunnies are black and have red eyes." Reona patted the bunny in her arms. "He was probably just thinking about another bonding moment for you and Trip."

"Lovely." said a voice with a very familiar accent to it.

Reona looked around in confusion and then raised an eyebrow at Malcolm. The Lieutenant pointed down and Reona knelt. She smiled as she came face to face with Charles 'Trip' Tucker 111, Chief engineer under the tactical console with a panel open and a case of tools. "Hi Trip." 

Trip glanced at her. "Hi ya Reona." he returned. "What's this I hear about a plot bunny loose on the Enterprise?" he asked.

Reona settled the bunny in her lap. "It's okay. I got a hold of it before anymore damage could be caused." she said. 

Trip changed a tool and nodded. "Thanks. But if another one pops up, just remember, I don't like ending up on a biobed in Sickbay." he said. 

"That makes two of us." said Malcolm from above them.

Reona nodded. "I'll try but no promises."

Trip sighed. "I'm sure you can come up with a nice fluffy moment between Malcolm and me without one of us being injured before hand." he said. 

Malcolm gently bumped his foot against Trip. "Fluffy?" he asked, annoyed.

"You know what I mean." replied Trip, tapping Malcolm's ankle. 

Reona chuckled. "I could do a story about one of the others." she suggested with humor.

"Now, now. There is no reason to get nasty." said Trip. 

"Are you implying that we are not interesting enough, Commander?" asked T'Pol's level voice. Reona stood to look at the others on the Bridge.

Trip backed out from under the console and grinned at the Vulcan as he stood. "Not at all. I'm just saying that whenever a story is done with Malcolm and myself, one of us usually gets hurt. We're lucky that one of us isn't dead." replied Trip.

Suddenly, Reona cried out and quickly dropped the bunny in her arms. "It bit me!" she exclaimed. They turned astonished eyes on the animal as it turned black and blinked red eyes at them, no longer an innocent plot bunny of fluffy origin. Everyone paled as they remembered Trip's last statement before the bunny's transformation. "Catch it before it gets away!" cried Reona. She was the first to lunge for it but as she landed on the deck the bunny jumped up and over her. 

Travis thrust himself out of his seat and snatched up the bunny. "Got it!" he cried in triumph. The cry turned painful as he thrust the bunny away from him. "Ow!" Blood now covered his right hand where deep cuts appeared. "Watch it! That thing is mean!" he yelled.

"It's also deadly." exclaimed Hoshi as the bunny dashed under her console. She kicked her feet and the black plot bunny ran out from under it. 

Archer and T'Pol both bent at the same time and cracked their heads together, missing the bunny. "Ow!" 

Archer put a hand to his forehead and turned as the turbolift opened. "Close that!" he ordered as a crewman stepped out. Reona was up and jumping the railing as Archer yelled. The plot bunny slid between the doors as the crewman frantically pushed the close button. Reona slammed against the doors and heard the lift leave as she slid to the floor. 

Trip moaned and covered his face. "What are we going to do?" he said through his hands.

"We'll have to catch it before the plot bunny can mature." said Malcolm.

"Mature?" asked Travis, holding his hand gingerly. 

Reona stood, touching her sore nose with a sigh. "Malcolm is right. If we can stop the plot bunny before it's mature then everything will be all right. A plot goes through many changes, most while the story is being written. We are now a part of a story. If we can catch the bunny before 'The End', then I can fix everything. If not, then the story is finished and there is nothing I can do." she explained.

Trip lowered his hands. "And one of us will be dead." he said. Reona nodded sadly. Malcolm turned toward Trip and wrapped his arms around the other man.

"All right people. Somewhere on this ship there is a dangerous plot bunny. Find it." said Archer gruffly. "T'Pol, do a ship wide announcement about the plot bunny."

"Yes Captain." said the Vulcan. 

"Travis and I need to go to Sickbay." said Reona, holding her bleeding hand away from her body. The bunny had gotten her right in the fleshy part of her palm. 

Archer nodded. "Agreed." he said. He looked at the two men across the room from him. He caught Malcolm's eye. "Watch yourselves." he warned. Malcolm nodded to his Captain sharply.

"Remember." stressed Reona. "We must stop the plot bunny before the end of the story. If we don't, there is nothing I can do."

"We'll find it." vowed Malcolm. 

Phlox cleaned Reona's wound and started to run a dermal regenerator over her hand, the skin closing. "My my my. What an exciting morning it has been." stated the doctor. 

Reona glanced at Travis, the pilot already healed. "Go help the others get that blasted bunny." she told him. Travis nodded and hurried from Sickbay. Reona looked at the alien doctor and sighed. "I would have been much happier with a less exciting morning."

"Oh, why?" asked Phlox.

"I have no desire to see one of my favorite characters die, Phlox. It would put a very bad crimp in my mood." said Reona sourly.

Phlox waved his hand dismissively. "Oh, the Captain will find your wayward plot bunny." he said, pulling away the dermal regenerator. 

Reona flexed her hand and grinned. "That's what I love about you, Phlox. It never occurs to you that something may not work out for the best." she said. Reona slid from the biobed she sat on and headed for the door. She waved at him over her shoulder. "Bye. Send my greetings to your osmotic eel." she called to Phlox. 

Reona was outside and in the hall just as T'Pol's voice came over the comm. "Yellow Alert." the Vulcan stated calmly. Lights on the ceiling flashed yellow and Reona grinned, knowing how proud Malcolm was about the alert system he had developed. "We have a situation. An evil plot bunny is loose on board Enterprise with the intent to kill either Commander Tucker or Lieutenant Reed." Reona heard a teeter of response around her as she moved through the corridors, the only person not wearing the blue uniform jumpsuit. "The plot bunny is black with red eyes and floppy ears. The plot bunny is to be found and detained. It is considered dangerous and is to be handled with care." Reona rubbed at her newly healed flesh and snorted as she boarded a turbolift. "That is all." finished T'Pol.

"Bridge." ordered Reona. She sighed and leaned against the moving wall. "We better find that stupid plot bunny soon." She paused. "I hate death fics." The lift stopped on the Bridge and Reona stepped out into controlled chaos.

"I'm scanning for the plot bunny now, sir." reported Malcolm. 

Reona shook her head and walked around a rushing crewman. "That isn't going to work." said Reona, leaning against the railing behind the Captain's chair. 

"Why not?" asked T'Pol.

"Because a plot bunny doesn't really exist, it's just a mind's physical representation of a story." answered Reona.

Malcolm looked up from his console. "She's right, sir. I can't find the plot bunny anywhere." he said. Trip stood behind him, a little pale but other wise alert considering what his words had done. 

Reona jumped down to the lower basin and put her hands on her hips. "I suggest that you keep your sensors at maximum and do not answer any distress calls. Lord only knows what you'll find with that bunny running the show." she told Archer. 

Archer nodded his agreement. "Mr. Reed, sensors at maximum." he ordered. The Captain stood. "Miss Sato, continue to scan for transmissions but I want to know before you answer anyone." The Asian nodded. "Travis, full stop. I don't think it's a good idea to be going anywhere."

Reona nodded also at his last command. "Good idea. You haven't met most of the hostile races out here yet. Let's not invite anyone." she said. 

Archer cocked an eyebrow at her. "And those races would be?" he asked.

Reona smiled at him and put a finger up to her lips. "That would be telling." 

"Captain, we have a report of the plot bunny being sighted in the Hydroponics Bay." said T'Pol, interrupting the batter. 

"What is it doing there?" asked Hoshi, confused.

"It may not be a real bunny, but it acts like one. It's probably eating." answered Reona, thinking of all the water plants growing there. She was already heading for the turbolift. She turned at Archers sharp voice.

"Where do you thing you are going?" demanded Archer. Reona now saw that he was not talking to her but to Malcolm.

Malcolm stood tall. "Sir, as Tactical Officers I am also in charge of Security. I am the most logical choice to head a team after the plot bunny." he said.

"It's also after you Malcolm." said Trip. "You're putting yourself in danger." The Chief Engineer sounded a little shaky. 

Reona put a stop to this easily. "You are staying right where you are, Malcolm, or I'll put you in more embarrassing situations in my next story than you can beat off with a stick." Malcolm paled as Reona nodded, satisfied. She stepped back into the lift and it closed before her. "Deck 4." ordered Reona. 

As the turbolift traveled on its way, Reona worried on a fingernail trying to out plot the escaped bunny. Who would the bunny go after? Malcolm was the easiest target, being in a position of extreme danger. However, Trip would have the most emotional damage. Being the natural favorite of the crew, his death would affect everyone badly. Malcolm's death could be done in the line of duty, protecting others. That had the added draw of glory to it. Blast, what was that plot bunny thinking? 

The lift stopped and Reona hurried out again to controlled chaos. A Security team raced past her and she fell into pace with them. The stupid yellow alert lights were beginning to give her a headache. She would have to really talk to Malcolm about how annoying the rotating bulbs were and how that color of yellow was too bright. At least that God awful alarm wasn't sounding. They better not go to red alert or Reona would not be responsible for her actions. Reona mentally made a note to discuss the alarm that sounded with red alert with Malcolm also. 

The Hydroponics Bay doors loomed in front of them and they slowed. Reona stepped forward and pressed an ear to the door, testing for any unusual sound, knowing that the evil plot bunny would not be above defending itself. She nodded to an officer next to her, satisfied that nothing unduly dangerous waited for them on the other side of the door. The officer opened the doors and they slowly stepped in. "Spread out. Stay in pairs. Find that plot bunny." ordered Reona. She felt one of her own creations, Mark Orin, fall into step behind her as Reona moved forward.

They walked along the paths of the Hydroponics Bay, the sound of moving water underneath the gravel beds mixing with their footsteps. Green plants of differing sizes grew in the beds, "Perfect for one plot bunny to hide in." Reona muttered to herself as she scanned the beds. Almost before she realized what she was doing, Reona leapt forward. The black plot bunny jumped sideways in the air but one of Reona's hands wrapped around its hind legs. Both author and bunny hit the deck. "I got it!" she cried, wanting help as the bunny once again made her hand bleed. Suddenly, the ship rocked, tossing Reona into a gravel bed. She cried out as gravel bit into her back and water from the trays soaked her jeans. Reona cursed, she had let go of the plot bunny. "I had it! I was so close!" she raged, scrambling to her feet. She looked around but it was no use, the plot bunny was gone. 

Another roll of the deck and Reona had to catch herself with her hands. She cursed again as she saw a deep cut between her thumb and forefinger on her right hand. The red alert lights and alarm started up and Reona groaned. Reona hurried down the path and hit a comm button. "What is going on up there?" she demanded.

Archer's voice came back sounding strained. "We're under attack!" he exclaimed.

Reona rolled her eyes. "Of course." she muttered, slapping the comm off. "Keep looking for that bunny!" she ordered the people around her. They dispersed again and Reona raced out of the Hydroponics Bay. She halted just before triggering the turbolift door. Who should she go to? There were under attack and as much as she hated to admit it, Malcolm and Trip would do their jobs. So, Bridge or Engineering? The ship rocked again, tossing Reona into the wall. Reona grunted. The Enterprise was taking quite a beating. Engineering it was.

Reona stepped into the lift, bracing herself against the wall, and called out her destination. "Engineering." The turbolift moved and Reona hoped that it wouldn't cut out and fall. She groaned. Don't give the plot bunny any ideas. Which would it go after? Malcolm or Trip? 

Engineering was worse than the Bridge. A panel to the right of the door sparked prettily and a pipe across the room vented white smoke into the air in great plumes. Reona hoped it wasn't something deadly. That wouldn't be any fun at all. She chuckled weakly at herself and pushed into the melee that was Engineering at the moment. 

Another shudder of the ship almost caused Reona to fall off the ladder as she climbed to the second floor. The smoke from the vent was thicker up here and Reona coughed as she looked around. She found the person she was looking for at a console, frantically working to keep the ship from exploding by itself. God, who were they fighting? Reona realized that the plot bunny had probably created a new race. Using an established race wasn't nearly as fun as making up your own. 

"Trip?" cried Reona as she reached him. The blond engineer barely spared her a glance and Reona pressed her lips together. The man had a cut on his cheek that was bleeding badly. It made her remember her own injury from the bunny but she put it out of her mind. She fitted herself out of the way next to the console, pressed against the wall and holding on tightly to the corner. 

Trip shouted orders to Hess, another engineer. The panel he was working on sparked at him and Reona snatched up a fire extinguisher. The panel burst into flame and Trip jumped back, Reona quickly spraying it down before the console could completely blow up. Trip simply moved to another workstation and Reona followed him without a word, knowing it was useless to do other wise. Trying to get Trip to leave Engineering right now would be just as hard as getting Malcolm off the Bridge. In other words, no way in hell. 

It was getting cold in here. Reona looked around and saw the pipe still spilling white smoke. She realized that it was coolant, used to make sure the engine didn't over heat. That wasn't good. Reona glanced at Trip and then hurried toward the ladder. She mostly slid down it and hurried over to the pipe. Another person was already there, a crewman that Reona had never seen before, unimportant until needed. She snatched up a hyper-torch, thumbed it on, nodded to the other crewman, and started at the other end of the tear. It was like sticking your bare hand into snow and her fingers quickly became numb. She worked through it, keeping her eyes on the torch's high velocity flame and the tear in the pipe she was sealing. 

Several minutes later, she finished and noticed that the ship hadn't rocked again. Reona tossed the hyper-torch away and quickly stood, shaking her hands. She met Trip, soot covered, at the door and both hurried down the hall. They needed to get back to the Bridge. Yelling stopped them cold and they saw the black plot bunny run across their path. Reona raced off after it with Trip hot on her heels. The bunny was right in front of her. It ran like lightening toward the Cargo Bay One doors and Reona followed. She leapt as it neared the doors and triggered the door sensor. Her cold hands barley felt the fur of the plot bunny as it slipped from her grasp. Reona hit the deck, rolling from her momentum, and screamed in fear as she found her feet dangling off the platform. She quickly latched onto the railing, hanging 15 feet from the bay floor. She still couldn't feel her hands very well from the coolant. "Reona!" cried Trip. He appeared above her and latched onto her hands, curling his fingers around her wrists.

Reona hated heights. "Pull me up! Pull me up!" she screamed, kicking her legs uselessly in the air. Trip pulled her over the railing and she sank to the floor, panting. The plot bunny was no where to be seen. "I'm going to make kabobs out of that bunny when I get my hands on it!" exclaimed Reona, clamoring to her feet. 

"Archer to Tucker." called the Captain over the comm, worry in his voice. 

Trip stood and thumbed the comm, leaning against the wall wearily. "I'm fine, Cap." he answered. 

"Where are you?" asked Malcolm.

Trip looked around and shook his head. "In Cargo Bay One. We had a little run in with the plot bunny from hell."

"And then I'm going to make a new pair of earmuffs out of the fur!" exclaimed Reona, walking in a short circle and swinging her arms wildly.

Trip leaned in close to the speaker. "I don't think Reona is in a good mood right now." he said to them lowly. 

"I heard that!" yelled Reona, glaring at him on her rotation.

Trip sighed. "What happened up there? Did we win?" he asked.

"More or less." answered Archer. He coughed over the comm and continued. "We ran them off but we took a beating doing it. Could you get up here and help?"

Trip glanced at Reona, standing there looking half way calm. "I'll be right there." replied Trip, closing the link. Reona was already walking out of the door and Trip hurried to catch up. They made their way to the turbolift door. A group of Security crossed their path, searching carefully for the evil plot bunny. 

Reona and Trip entered the lift. "Bridge." demanded Reona. She sighed and leaned against the wall. She frowned and then raised a hand. "Damn." Reona scowled at a fingernail broken sometime during helping Engineering. Her other hand was still covered in blood where the plot bunny had cut her but had stopped bleeding. She heard Trip chuckle and looked up at him, annoyed by the situation. "What's so funny?" she asked.

Trip's laughed turned a little dark. "I have a bunny trying to kill me." he said.

Reona shook her head. "It has equal reason to go after Malcolm, Trip." Trip looked stricken for a moment and Reona sighed. "We won't let either of you die." she told him. Suddenly, the lift lights flickered and Reona raised her head slowly to the ceiling. "Oh hell." 

The turbolift tilted, slamming both Engineer and young woman into the wall. The lift stopped for a moment and all you could hear was Trip's and Reona's deep breathing. Their feet lifted from the floor as the turbolift fell, plummeting through the shaft. They screamed and hit the floor hard as it suddenly reversed direction and went up. Trip struggled to a panel and tore it open. Reona watched as he pulled out wires, working frantically to save them. Reona closed her eyes and hung on. 

A Mary Sue and a PPP (Practically Perfect Persons) do not die, reasoned Reona. The lift began to fall again. Reona cracked an eye open and saw Trip still working. Damn, I'm not really a Mary Sue or a PPP and the plot bunny knows it. Come on, think! The plot bunny may have their backs to the wall but she was the author. Think! Reona's eyes snapped open. "Original characters never die in the middle of the story and always for a noble sacrifice that saves the whole crew!" she cried loudly. The turbolift righted itself and began to go up at a normal pace. The door opened and Reona yanked Trip out, falling against Archer and Malcolm. 

Malcolm caught Trip and Archer helped keep Reona on her feet. "What happened?" asked the Captain.

Reona drew in some deep breaths, trying to slow her heart. "Mr. plot bunny tried to kill Trip by making the turbolift fall." she said.

"How did you get it to stop?" asked Malcolm. He leaned Trip back so he could see his face and smoothed back his hair.

Trip glanced at Reona. "It stopped when Reona cried out." he answered.

Reona flashed a 'v' for victory sign with her fingers and smiled. "The plot bunny may be in control but I'm still the author. I have to out plot the plot bunny by thinking like it and using the rules." She pulled her hair free and rolled the rubber band onto her wrist. "I reminded it that original characters always die at the end of the story and always save the entire crew by doing it." she explained. 

"And it listened to you?" asked Malcolm.

Reona nodded. "Yep." she said with a smile. "What happened while I was bunny hunting?" They started as T'Pol and Hoshi sprayed some fire retardant foam onto the Vulcan's sparking console. Reona hoped that a real fire didn't start, the fire repression system foam was a mess to deal with. 

Archer's lips twisted. "We were attacked by an unknown species. We barely ran them off and took heavy damage while doing it." he sighed. "T'Pol doesn't know anything about the race and the Vulcan Database is useless."

Reona nodded, expecting that. "The plot bunny probably created them for this purpose. I'm not surprised T'Pol hasn't heard of them." She looked down at her hands and sighed. "We need to move this to Sickbay. Both Trip and I are injured."

Trip shook his head. "I'm fine." 

Reona grabbed one of his hands and he yelped as pressure was put upon a burn mark. "Sure you are." she crossed. 

Archer nodded. "T'Pol." he called through the noise and other crewman handling the ship. "We're going to head to Sickbay and discuss our problem." he said. The Vulcan nodded and walked over to them, understanding the order.

Malcolm and Trip looked at the turbolift with doubtful eyes. "Is it safe?" asked Malcolm.

Reona nodded. "With Jonathan and T'Pol with us we'll be fine." she said. Everyone looked at her in confusion. "The highest ranking officers are never killed and any danger to people they care about happens where they can not help." stated Reona.

"How comforting." muttered Trip as they boarded the lift. 

"Hey, I didn't make the rules. I just go with the flow." said Reona. 

"When can we expect our friends to come back?" asked Archer, talking about the attacking aliens.

Reona worried at a fingernail as she thought. "Now, that's a toughie. They could return just as we are finishing repairs or they could return at the most inopportune time, which could be any time." Reona thought for a moment, trying to out think an evil plot bunny. "It could just be waiting for Malcolm and Trip to separate before making a move."

Archer looked at Malcolm and Trip. "You two just became attached at the hip. Understand me?"

"Yes sir." said Trip with a chuckle. 

"It is possible that other people will die during the story?" asked T'Pol.

Reona nodded. "Yes, but no main characters. The bunny is after Malcolm or Trip. It won't go after any of the other command staff." she answered. 

The door opened and they all stared, stunned, as they found the black plot bunny sitting in the hall before them. No one moved for a moment. Then, Archer lunged. The bunny jumped into the air, right over Archer as he landed on the deck and right into T'Pol's hands. "Don't let that bunny go!" exclaimed Reona. 

The ship lurched, sending everyone sprawling. Reona felt claws dig into her jean covered leg as the bunny used her as a springboard. "No!" cried Archer as the bunny escaped down the corridor. 

The ship rocked again and Reona grunted as she hit the wall with her shoulder. "Well, most inopportune time it is." said Reona with sigh. The aliens were back and obviously still generally not liking the Enterprise.

"Captain!" cried Hoshi's voice over the comm. "The aliens are back."

Archer groaned as he pushed himself up. "Tell me something I don't know." he muttered. 

Reona grabbed the back of the Captain's uniform and yanked him into the lift. "Bridge!" she cried. 

"I am sorry, Captain. I allowed the plot bunny to escape." apologized T'Pol, a hint of remorse in her voice. 

"T'Pol expresses a little emotion when failing Captain Archer." muttered Reona, rolling her eyes at the rule. She pushed everyone out onto the Bridge before they could ask what she was muttering about. The officers hurried to their posts and Reona cocked her head at the ship on the view screen. The ship was an elegant gray color, with the graceful lines of a bird. It looked like a benevolent copy of a Romulan Warbird. Reona shook her head as the ship fired again. "Parody of established concept."

"They're firing again." warned Malcolm. 

The Enterprise rocked as the other ship spat red lasers at them and Reona grabbed hold of the railing to remain on her feet. "All right, maybe not very benevolent." muttered Reona.

The comm sounded. "Lieutenant Hess to Commander Tucker."

Trip moved from behind Malcolm and touched a comm unit on the wall. "Tucker here."

"Sir, we are having problems in Engineering. We need your help." exclaimed Hess. In the background something banked loudly.

Tucker froze for a moment and, without looking at those standing behind him, gave his answer in a firm voice. "On my way." He started across the Bridge when Archer's voice stopped him. 

"Trip." said Archer, uncertain for a moment on whether he should allow his best friend and current possible plot bunny target to leave. 

Trip turned on his heel toward the Captain and leaned against the railing next to Reona. "Captain, I must go. If the engines blow up then none of us will be alive." he said. Archer's face firmed and he nodded shortly. Trip swept his eyes past Malcolm's for a moment and then turned toward the turbolift.

Reona didn't even glance at the look she knew Malcolm was giving her and moved toward the turbolift. "Captain, we're being hailed." said Hoshi suddenly. Reona froze, hands on either side of the turbolift doors. She looked into Trip's eyes but saw no clue as to what she should do. She wanted to go with Trip to Engineering but she also could probably do some good with the aliens. Trip was leaving the decision up to her and Reona didn't dare look back at Malcolm. He would burn her alive with his gaze.

"Put them on the screen." ordered Archer. 

Reona slapped her hands against the sides of the turbolift and stepped back. "Be careful." she mouthed to Trip as the doors closed. Reona turned in time to see the aliens be put upon the screen. It was a bridge, the center seat holding one male alien. The captain of the other ship had brown skin the color of dry dirt and his skin looked to be rough. Obviously evolved from some reptilian ancestor, the creature had no hair and a series of small nubs running across his forehead and a forehead ridge above those. He wore a uniform of some black cloth.

"Iret dove lát easerare." spoke the creature.

"Hoshi." muttered Archer out of the side of his mouth.

"Working on it." muttered Hoshi back.

"Connect with the Vulcan database and try a mix of Cardassian and Klingon." suggested Reona. She walked forward and stepped down into the lower basin to stand next to Archer.

Hoshi's hand danced across her console. "I think I have it." she said after a moment. 

"Name and purpose." asked the alien this time.

Archer raised an eyebrow toward Reona and she shrugged at him. The plot bunny was being obvious with the aliens, creating a species that looked like a cross of Cardassians and Klingons. But, the Enterprise has yet to encounter the Cardassians themselves so Reona kept her mouth shut. "I am Captain Archer of the starship Enterprise. Our purpose is exploration." answered Archer. 

Reona was already moving toward the turbolift as the alien spoke again. She knew where this was going. "You have entered Narn space, Enterprise. Stand down and be prepared to be boarded by order of the Emperor." said the alien.

Reona rolled her eyes and turned in the turbolift. "That would not be a good idea." she said back into the Bridge. "Letting them board will probable mean the crew being executed." 

"That is correct, lower being. You will all be executed for your trespass." agreed the alien.

"Like hell." answered Archer.

The turbolift doors closed and Reona cocked an eyebrow. "Lower being?" she muttered. Oh, the plot bunny was going to get it for that one. "I happen to be the author of this insanity." she said, annoyed. 

The turbolift beeped at her. "Destination?" it asked.

Reona started and blushed, although no one was around. "Engineering." she said. This was bad, very bad. The Enterprise could hold its own in a space fight but would be in dear trouble if they were boarded by aliens bent on killing everyone. "Damn, there had to be only 83 people on the ship." muttered Reona. There was little that could be done to stop the Narn from transporting onto the Enterprise. They hadn't invented anti-transportion technology yet. Boarding would bring Security running and that meant Malcolm in the line of fire. 

The turbolift doors opened and Reona took off like a shot down the corridor. A wall panel was blown out and Reona had to jump the tool kit of the person fixing it. She kept on running as that person yelled at her. Her eyes narrowed as something darted out into a juncture several yards away. Reona put on more speed and lunged at the plot bunny. She grabbed it and slid to a stop against a bulkhead. The animal struggled in her grasp but Reona held on. "Lower being?" she hissed. The plot bunny caught at her shirt, tearing the top red one. The wound on her hand reopened and bleed anew. 

The ship rocked as they were hit again but still Reona held on. She blinked as a green shimmering started near her and a Narn appeared in the corridor. Several others followed until five Narn stood in the hall where Reona lay with the plot bunny. The first Narn noticed her and raised a weapon. The gun like thing was red and Reona didn't really want to find out if it was an energy type weapon or a projectile type. 

She tossed the plot bunny at the Narn's face and scrambled to her feet. A scream like a hurt dog filled the hall as Reona raced down the adjacent corridor. She slid slightly on the smooth floor as she turned down the next corridor and the edge of the wall exploded behind her as the Narns shot down the hall. Reona grinned as she dashed down the corridor. "I think I made them mad." 

Reona ran toward the door at the end of the hall and prayed she could slow enough for the door sensor to work. She slipped through the half open door and frantically pushed at the close button. She sighed as it closed before the Narns entered the hall she had come down. She turned and ordered the lights up. "Computer, lights full." Science Lab 4 lit up and Reona hurried around a table to the comm. "Reona to Bridge." she said into it.

"Reona?" asked Archer over the comm, sounding confused.

Reona grinned at the machine, panting slightly. "We've got some of those Narns down by Engineering." she told them. A slight banging sounded and Reona glanced at the door she had come through with some worry. "Computer, lock rear door." she ordered. A light above the door turned red and Reona nodded, satisfied. "I've got to get moving." she said to Archer. 

"Reona, stay there. Malcolm is coming down with Security and they'll help you." said Archer.

Reona snorted. "No offense, Johnny. But I'm not one of your crew." She turned the comm off before Archer could comment and headed for the other door. Reona stuck her head out and then dashed down the hall toward Engineering when she found the corridor empty. She quickly turned down another hall and began to make her way around Engineering. She turned again and slowed, knowing that she was now behind Engineering. Her eyes ran along the ceiling until she found a Jeffrey's tube access and climbed up to it. Reona crawled into the tunnel and closed the hatch firmly behind her. She began to crawl over Engineering until she deemed she was over the center of it. She stopped and lay on her stomach over a hatch that would open on the ceiling of Engineering. She slid off her tiger back bag purse and rummaged through it. 

Grumbling, she wiped some blood from her hand with a tissue. "All plot bunnies must have their nails trimmed from now on." Reona then took out her compact and opened it to reveal the mirror. "I watch way to many James Bond movies." she muttered as she carefully opened the hatch a creak and angled the mirror to see around Engineering. Just as she thought, a Narn squad was standing on the second floor catwalk. Reona grinned to herself, one of them seemed to have lots of scratches on his face. 

Reona closed the hatch softly and returned her spy tool to her bag. She slipped on her bag and continued across the ceiling of Engineering. She found a ladder and climbed down until she deemed herself in the right position. She crawled forward and slowly, quietly opened the hatch at the end. She peeked out and nodded to herself, she was below the ceiling but still above the Narns. There were five and for a moment Reona wondered if it were just these on the ship. One was tending the one she had tossed the plot bunny at, so that left the other three standing. Reona opened her purse again and drew out a small spray can, smiling widely. She then opened the hatch completely, careful of any noise. The Narns were holding their guns pointed toward a ground of engineers, including Trip. All of the humans could see her up in the hatch but the Narns couldn't see her unless they looked straight up. 

Reona smiled at the others but they keep their faces expressionless. Reona leaned out of the hatch and whistled shrilly. As expected, faces and weapons were pointed up at her. Reona let loose with her hairspray. The Narns howled and the engineers quickly picked up heavy objects to knock them out with. Reona climbed down the ladder and grinned at Trip.

"Boy, are you a sight for sore eyes." Trip told her. "What's going on?" he asked.

"We're being boarded by these guys, the Narn." Reona gestured to the unconscious aliens. "They want to execute everyone on the Enterprise for being in their territory."

"Lovely." grossed Trip. "The plot bunny?" he asked with hope.

Reona shook her head sadly. "I had it for a moment but these guys appeared and I had to get inventive." she answered, looking at the Narn with the face scratches meaningfully. 

Trip chuckled. "It worked and that's all that matters." Trip turned and pointed down at the Narns. "Tie these guys up and get back to maintaining the engine." he ordered. Fiber cable was found and used to tie up the Narns. "How many of these guys do we have on the ship?" asked Trip.

Reona shrugged. "There must be more but I've only seen these guys." she answered. The ship rocked again and Reona tripped over a loose shoelace and fell on her butt. "Obviously they haven't left yet." she groaned from the floor. She jerked her foot up and tied the lace with angry movements. 

"God, I hope Malcolm is still on the Bridge." said Trip.

Reona stood and shook her head. "I'm afraid he's on the loose." she told him. A green streak flew over their heads and hit a pipe. Reona and Trip ducked and looked through the second floor grating. Another group of Narns stood at the main doors to Engineering. Well, that answered that. There were more Narns on the ship and their weapons were energy types. How nice. 

A clear substance poured from the pipe and seeped through the grating down the wall. Trip pressed his lips together as he saw the new damage. "If they keep this up we won't have to worry about being killed by them. The engine will simply blow us all up." he hissed.

Reona blinked and suddenly pointed through the grate toward the other doors. "Looks like the cavalry is here." she exclaimed. 

Trip turned, keeping his head low, and saw a group of Security officers returning fire with the Narns. "So much for Malcolm staying on the Bridge." muttered Trip, spotting his lover. 

Reona bit her lip as green and red energy fire shot across the Engine room. "Um, isn't that dangerous?" she asked. Trip gave her a look that clearly read "well duh!" Reona looked at the hairspray can she still held and came up with an idea. "Trip, are their phase pistols stored around here?" she asked Trip.

Trip nodded. "With Malcolm there is a weapons locker in every major department. Why?"

Reona grinned. "I'm about to be brilliant. I need one." she said. They crawled across the catwalk to the corner and Trip quickly punched in his code. The locker popped open and Trip handed one phase pistol to Reona. She turned it around in her hands and frowned. "How do I put it on high stun?" she asked over the noise. Trip pushed various buttons and Reona nodded her thanks. She crawled over to the edge of the catwalk and looked down onto the Narn by the front door. Standing slowly so not to be noticed, she threw the hairspray can at them. She then raised her phase pistol and fired. It took three shoots, just enough time for one of the Narns to fire haphazardly back at her, before Reona hit the can. 

Like she predicted, the pressurized can exploded in their mists. Reona yelped as she fell back, the pistol flung from her hand and her whole arm now sore. She groaned as her vision cleared. "Uh, remind me never to do that again." Reona sat up carefully, bruises down her arms and her white shirt now torn at her elbows. She looked down and smiled as she saw the Narn on the floor and the Enterprise Security rushing in. She punched the air in triumph and then winced as her shoulder protested. 

A loud clamoring on the ladder drew her attention just as Malcolm appeared on the second floor catwalk. "Are you insane?" he exclaimed as he saw Reona. He stared at Reona, phase rifle hanging from one hand. 

"Maybe." answered Reona easily. "What's it to ya?"

Trip scrambled up and ran over to Malcolm. Malcolm dropped his rifle and hugged him. "I'm so glad you're all right." said Trip. 

Malcolm gently pushed him back so he could see his face. He touched the cut on Trip's cheek with concern. "Another Narn ship has joined the first and two more are on their way." he informed him.

Trip bit his lip. "Enterprise is a mess and we need time to repair her." he said.

Reona stood, shaking out her arm. "What we need to do is find that plot bunny." she said. "If we find it then everything else can be easily dealt with."

Malcolm looked at her. "The ship is being boarded by Narns left and right. We'll never find it with them on the ship." he said. He snatched up his rifle and swung the strap over his back. "We need to spread out but I'm leaving a squad in here. The Engine room is obviously their main target."

Reona froze and then cursed. Trip and Malcolm looked at her as she stomped her foot on the floor in frustration. "Engineering could be their main target but it also couldn't. The obvious is rarely the truth." she said.

Malcolm's face pinched and he opened his mouth to reply. A green shimmering on the catwalk caught all of their attention. Three Narn appeared and they all dove for cover as the aliens let loose a round of energy fire. Reona danced around some green lasers, feeling the heat of one wayward spark scorch her pant leg. She jumped into a Jeffrey's tube access tunnel and slapped frantically at the smoldering cloth. A good sized hole had been burned into her jeans just above her ankle. The skin underneath was red with burns, although not bleeding, and was painfully sore. Reona hissed in anger, glaring at the rim of the tunnel. She could hear weapons fire and yelling, all the noise was deafening. Reona looked out and almost got her head shot off for her troubles. One of the Narn was watching the hatch where she had hidden. 

Reona pressed herself to the wall of the tube and quickly snatched off her tiger bag. The contents of the bag were spilled onto the tunnel floor and she picked up a bottle of perfumed body spray, wishing that she hadn't lost the phase pistol Trip had given her before. Even if the damn thing hurt her arm horribly to use, it was better than what she was doing now. When the Narn that had fired at her peeked his head slightly into the tunnel she sprayed the mists at him. She only got one eye as he jerked back and cried out like a wounded dog, just like the one she had thrown the plot bunny at.

Reona was out of the tunnel in a flash. The Narn was holding one eye with his hand as Reona kicked at the back of his knee. The Narn went down and Reona then kicked at the hand holding the laser gun. It clattered to the deck and Reona moved to snatch it up as the ship rocked. The gun slid over the catwalk edge and landed on the floor below. Reona cried out in dismay as she lost her footing and fell forward. She quickly rose to her feet and faced a rather mad Narn advancing on her. Reona was dead meat. 

Suddenly, the Narn began to back up. Reona blinked in confusion as she too was pulled forward and turned around. She saw a standing Malcolm move back into a crouching position behind a console. She grinned as she then saw the alien's gun come back up over the catwalk and settled into its original spot on the deck. Time froze for a moment just before the ship had rocked. The story had backed up and now would begin again where they had left off. It was changing.

Reona was freed and she lunged for the alien's gun. This time, she grabbed the gun and turned on her heel to face the Narn threatening her. Quickly, she fired at him and hit him in the shoulder. The Narn fell to the deck as Reona was forced to take a step back to regain her balance. She groaned as her shoulder burned. Who knew that these weapons had so much kickback in them.

The ship bucked and Reona yelped as she fell. She rolled onto her side and looked at the weapon she had managed to hang on to this time. All of the lights on the gun had gone dead. Reona sighed and looked across the catwalk. Malcolm was standing up, firing at a Narn with his rifle. In a moment, the Narn would be down. Movement caught Reona's attention and she saw the third Narn behind Malcolm raise his gun. "No, Malcolm!" screamed Reona. Malcolm turned at her cry and leveled his weapon at the Narn but it was no use. They both knew that by the time Malcolm could shoot that the Narn would have also been able to shoot. Malcolm would get the Narn but the Narn would also get Malcolm. 

A red beam hit the Narn from the side and he went down before he could shoot. Reona turned her head and found Trip with a phase pistol pointed at the Narn. She realized it was the same one she had dropped earlier. A grin broke out across her face as she hurried to her feet. Trip dropped the gun and moved toward Malcolm. Malcolm moved to meet him and they hugged again. Malcolm put one hand on the back of Trip's head as he felt the other man tremble. "Are you all right?"

Trip nodded and pulled his face back a little. "Are you?" he asked.

Malcolm smiled and nodded. "Thanks to you." he said. Malcolm brushed his lips across Trip's gently. "Not bad for someone with only minimal training." he said. Trip's shoulders shook with a half sob, half laugh. 

Reona ran to a comm on the wall and thumbed it on. "Bridge! What just happened?" she exclaimed.

A burst of static was followed by Archer's strained voice. "We just had Narns burst onto the Bridge but then they left again. It was like everything was running backwards." he answered. 

Hoshi's high pitched voice cut in. "They were going to shoot the Captain!" she exclaimed. 

"I was about to be cooked myself when the change came. Listen, that is what happens when the story is changed. The plot bunny was about to break some very important rules, like killing an original character or one of the command crew, and changed the story." Explained Reona.

"Will it always be like that?" asked Malcolm. 

Reona glanced over her shoulder at him and nodded. "Yep. If the story changes again that will be exactly what happens." she answered. 

An alarm suddenly went off in the room and Trip raced away, yelling something to Hess. "What is that?" demanded Archer.

Reona clogged one ear and winced at the noise. "The Enterprise saying it's in pain." she retorted, wishing it would stop. "How long until the other Narn ships get here?"

"Fifteen minutes, twenty seconds." replied T'Pol's voice.

Reona rolled her eyes, even though they couldn't see it. Vulcans. "We have that long to find that damn plot bunny. If those ships reach us then were so screwed." she said. 

"The latest sighting was two minutes ago in Stellar Cartography." reported T'Pol. 

Reona nodded sharply. "Then that's where I'm going." she said. Reona thumbed the comm off and hurried over to the Jeffrey's tube she had hidden in. She stuffed her things back into the tiger purse and slipped it over her back again. She hurried back and grabbed a hold of Malcolm's uniform front, yanking him after her. "Come on big protector. You're coming with me." 

They stopped long enough for Malcolm to give orders on who would stay in Engineering and who would go out in search for the plot bunny. Reona, Malcolm, and two other people were soon making their way through the Enterprise. Stellar Cartography was at the very bottom of the ship, in a slight bulge on the underside. Malcolm tapped Reona on the shoulder and she looked at him, although did not stop. He held out a small gun to her. Reona took it with confusion. It looked like a phase pistol but was small enough to fit in her palm. She had never seen this weapon before. "My own creation." explained Malcolm. 

Reona grinned and shoved the weapon into her back jeans pocket. "Malcolm, don't ever change." she said with humor. Malcolm continued to frown at her. "What?"

"Are you all right?" he asked, worry in his voice.

Reona cataloged her body quickly. Her hand ached, her shoulder throbbed, the wound on her leg burned, and she was pretty sure that if she fell again something was going to snap off. Blood from her hand was smeared on her clothing in some places, her red shirt was torn from the plot bunny, there were now several more holes in her jeans than originally, and the strap of her tiger bag purse was coming loose. "I'll live." she answered.

Malcolm barked a laugh. "That sounds like something I would say." he retorted. A loud bang stopped any more talking and all four pressed themselves to the wall. Malcolm crept forward and peeked around the wall. He raised two fingers; two aliens in the next hall. One of the other officers, Reona noticed that it was once again her own creation Mark Orin, slid forward next to Malcolm. On the silent count of three, both swung around the corner and fired together. There was a thump as the Narn fell to the deck. 

Reona stuck her head around the corner and grinned at the unconscious Narn. "There is a new sheriff in town boys." she couldn't resist saying. 

Everyone looked at her in confusion. "What?" asked Mark Orin.

Reona blushed and waved at them. "Nothing, you wouldn't understand. It's an old saying." she said. The last officer, Lewis, snickered. Reona glanced back at him. She really needed to give that man a first name. They hurried down the hall, leaving the Narn where they lay. 

At the corridor to Stellar Cartography they slowed. Reona glanced down at her feet, knowing that just past the thin layer of metal was the vacuum of space. They paused in front of the doors and Malcolm carefully opened the doors. When no black plot bunny raced past them they entered the room and closed the door behind them. The floor and ceiling of the room were flat and a solid black color. The walls, however, were curved and clear. Consoles and chairs were around the room for the crew to sit in. It was like standing outside in space. It was a special view, if you could take it. Some didn't like the feeling of being out in space with nothing around them, Reona included. Made her feel like she was falling without stopping. "Anyone in here?" called Malcolm.

"Sir?" called a female voice. A figure moved carefully in the dim, there being little artificial light in the room in case it ruined the view. The person was Liz Cutler. "Lieutenant, the plot bunny is somewhere in here but I can't find it." 

"Computer, lock the doors." ordered Malcolm. His order was answered by a light over the door turning red and a small bang to their right.

They turned toward the sound and scanned the dark. "I don't think it liked it when you locked the door." said Reona, trying to forget where she was. Lewis lunged and something black skirted under a console. Reona quickly knelt in front of it and looked in. Fur rubbed against her chin as the bunny rushed out but luckily didn't hurt her. "Damn." cursed Reona, loosing the plot bunny again. 

Another person lunged in the dark and Cutler yelped as she banged against a console. "Ow." 

"Everybody freeze." ordered Reona. They did so and Reona began to crawl around the floor. "Don't move." A scratching sound to her left led Reona across the room. Red eyes met hers and she stilled. The bunny flinched to the right and Reona lunged at him. She fell for the feint as the bunny quickly changed direction and slammed against the window. All she could see were stars and space as she pressed her nose against the glass and the world tilted sickeningly. Oh god, she was falling. She would never stop. She'd fall forever. 

A sharp slap against her face brought Reona back. "Reona?" asked Malcolm's voice. His face swam into focus and she frowned at the lights above his head.

"You opened the door." she accused him softly. Reona groaned as she sat up with Cutler's help. Her chest hurt and her head had started to pound. 

"You had a panic attack, Reona. We had to open the door to get you out of there." explained Liz. 

Reona groaned again and forced herself to stand. "I made us loose the plot bunny." she lamented. They were in the hallway and there was no sign of the plot bunny.

Mark Orin nodded. "We lost him." he said. The red alert alarm sounded.

Reona groaned as the sound killed her head. Liz Cutler raced into Stellar Cartography. She came back out looking pale. "There are two more ships outside." she reported.

"Damn!" cursed Malcolm. The ship rocked as they ran down the hall. They had run out of time. They had to get to Engineering if it was the main target but Reona didn't think it was. She tried to think as they ran. She had to out plot the plot bunny. Why go after Engineering? If they were just going to execute everyone on the ship then why bother with Engineering. Unless…it wasn't Engineering itself they were after.

"Malcolm! During a battle where are the most people?" Reona cried, having an idea. 

Malcolm glanced at her. "What?"

Reona yelled louder. "Right now where are the most people?"

"On Deck 1. Security would be keeping the invaders from entering the Bridge. It's a level one priority." answered Malcolm. 

"So, right now the greatest concentration of crew is on Deck 1." Reona echoed. Malcolm stopped mid nodded as he realized what Reona was getting at. Malcolm, Orin, and Lewis changed direction and sped off to a turbolift but Reona continued on to Engineering. It wasn't Engineering that the Narn were after when they attacked the room. It was simply where most of the crew had been at the time. Now that almost every Security crewmen was on Deck 1 protecting the Bridge, Reona was willing to bet that was where the Narns would be too. 

Reona rounded the corner and then tried to skid to a full stop. A group of Narns were standing at the main doors to Engineering. She dove through a door and almost whacked her head against a storage box. She panted for a moment before opening the door again and pressing herself into the alcove. It provided excellent cover. Reona pulled the smaller phase pistol gun from her back pocket and took aim. The kickback made her hand tingle but at least it didn't knock her arm off. Her shot flew past a Narn's head, drawing their attention to her. 

Green bolts were returned at her and Reona ducked back. Carefully, she fired again and hit one low in the stomach. "Definitely way to many James Bond movies." she muttered. When only two of the Narns were left in the group standing up, the pair fled down the corridor. Reona stepped out into the hall fully and shot at the retreating forms. Her shot clipped one in the lower leg but didn't stop him. 

She rushed forward as Enterprise Security spilled out from the Engineering main doors. She pointed down the hall. "They went that way!" she yelled. Three officers broke away and raced down the hall. Reona slipped into Engineering and almost coughed up a lung, something had blown up in here and gray smoke now filled the air. "Trip!" she called. "Trip!" Tears had begun to trail down her face as she searched for the Chief Engineer. She knew he had to be alive, if not hurt. The story would have ended if he were dead. 

Reona gasped suddenly as she saw three Security officers chasing a black shape across the floor. It was the plot bunny. The thing was finally looking a little worse for wear, though Reona absurdly. She lunged and got a hold of the bunny. One of the Security officers fell over her but Reona was not going to let the bunny go now. She scrambled to her feet and raised the plot bunny to look it in the eye. Reona began to open her mouth, to tell the plot bunny to stop and end the story, when her gaze flicked over to the side. A Narn was raising an energy gun at her. The smoke was making Reona's eyes water still and her mouth was sore and she was going to die.

The green shot left the gun and streaked toward her. She vaguely felt the plot bunny kick out of her weakened hold. The energy shot closed in on her and she could feel the heat get greater as it neared her chest. Suddenly it stopped. Reona stared for a moment at the green beam that hung in the air in front of her before it flew backwards and back into the Narn's gun. She saw the gun lower and the Narn take a step back. The story was changing again. 

The Narn then took a step forward and began to raise the gun again. Trip slammed into the Narn from the side and both went down, the green bolt flying past Reona's head. She ducked and lost her balance, falling to the floor with a pounding heart. Trip and the Narn fought for a moment, the Narn trying to shoot Trip. Trip's grip on the Narn's wrist prevented him from getting a clear shot. A Security officer rushed in and knocked the Narn out cold. Trip sank off to the side. He looked at Reona, panting and covered in more soot. "Another story change?" he asked.

Reona pushed herself off the floor shakily and nodded. "One that I am completely gratefully for." she said. She looked around in the smoke and chaos but there was no way she could find the plot bunny in the mess. She wiped at her face and stood. "The Narn are on Deck 1 trying to execute the crew." Reona told Trip. 

Trip looked at her sharply. "Malcolm up there?" he asked. Reona's nod had him standing up. "We've got to get up there." Trip said.

Reona hurried after the determined man. They raced down the hall toward a turbolift. A green shot that hit the wall near them caused Reona to drop to her knees and then jump up again. "Hurry!" she yelled. Trip and Reona jumped into the lift. They turned to see four Narn in the corridor before the doors closed. An Enterprise crewman lay ominously at their feet. 

"Bridge!" cried Trip.

The computer beeped at him. "The Bridge is no longer functional." 

"What does that mean?" asked Reona, a sinking feeling in her stomach.

"It means that the Bridge is toast and the turbolift is out." answered Trip tightly. Reona paled but firmly held to the rule that no command characters would be killed. "Deck 1!"

The turbolift moved easily at the commanded and soon Trip and Reona could hear the fire fight going on. Reona glanced at Trip and pulled out the phase pistol she carried. "Be careful." muttered Reona just as the door opened. A green bolt flew through the doors and both hurried out of the lift as a panel above them exploded. Trip and Reona came out into chaos. The halls were smoke filled, sparks from machine panels could be seen through the haze. The lights on the ceiling were flickering and the red alert lights were still on in some places. Figures in blue and black uniforms could be seen moving about in the smoke and dim light. Shouting in English and a foreign language could be heard, the UT must be out. A green bolt came out from nowhere and Trip and Reona dove in different directions to avoid it. 

Reona rolled, feeling that the deck was actually hot under her. She came up to see a person standing sideways to her and another person sitting on the floor. Reona recognized Archer standing in front of Hoshi, the Asian woman bleeding from a wound on her leg. Archer was staring with a sneer on his face at something in front of him. Reona brought up her gun while she turned and fired a bolt even before her mind could think about it. The first red beam clipped the Narn in the arm, turning him toward her, and the second struck him full in the chest. Well, it was true. Adrenaline really does work in the heat of battle. 

Reona stood. "Are you all right? What happened to the Bridge?" she demanded.

Archer turned toward her, his face grim. "They transported a bomb onto the Bridge. Everything is useless." answered Archer. "The plot bunny?" he asked.

Reona shook her head. "There was a fight in Engineering. Trip and I came up here when I figured out that the Narns just want to kill the crew, not take the ship." replied Reona. A squad of Security rushed past them and Archer helped Hoshi up, draping one arm over his shoulder. 

"Just leave me." muttered Hoshi, obviously in pain.

Archer shook his head. "You know I won't do that." he answered. He looked back at Reona. "Where is Trip?" he asked.

"He's…" Reona turned and saw no one. "Damn, he was right behind me." she exclaimed. "Trip!" she called. A green bolt struck the bulkhead next to her. She couldn't see where it had come from. "Oh, bad idea." said Reona, ducking. She wondered if the smoke and light bothered the Narns like it did the humans. 

The ship rocked and the inertial dampeners finally stopped trying to keep the corridor stable. Reona screamed in panic as she was tossed head over heels into the wall. Archer and Hoshi landed next to her. Reona groaned and then groaned again when she realized she had lost her weapon, again. The panel next to her head sparked and Reona scrambled away from it. The rest of the red alert lights came on followed by the alarm. The corridor turned into hell in one second. 

Reona knelt by Archer. "We need to move." she yelled at him over the noise. Archer pulled a groaning Hoshi up with a nod and the three made their way down the hall. They needed to get off that deck. Sickbay looked like a good bet at the moment. 

An Enterprise Security officer rounded the corner, shooting over his shoulder. "Sir!" he exclaimed as he saw Archer. The officer had stopped and it allowed the pursuing Narn to shoot him. The officer fell forward, the uniform cloth on his back burned off. Reona screamed as he fell in front of her. The Narn appeared in the smoke and Reona lifted her hand toward him, perfume spray pointed at him. She got the Narn full in the face. He cried out in the dog like howl of his race and Reona frantically looked around the floor for the phase pistol she knew the Enterprise officer had been carrying. She couldn't find it in the smoke and settled for kicking the Narn in the back of the knees. The Narn went down and Reona, Archer, and Hoshi hurried away before he could recover. 

Something ran past Reona's feet in the smoke but she had other things to worry about at that second. Archer called to her. "Turn right and head for the door at the end." he said. Reona turned as instructed and they raced for the door. Reona frantically pushed at the panel, ignoring when it sparked at her and a horrible smell assaulted her nose. The door opened and they all but fell through it only to come to a complete stop. 

They were in an observation lounge. They stood along the long wall with the windows in front of them. At the other ends of the room were another two doors, which they would have used to escape if they hadn't run into the trouble they now were witnessing. Narns and Enterprise crewman filled the room. Some were weaponless while others were still armed. The floor was littered with both species, dead or injured. The stars out of the window gave an odd backdrop as Malcolm stood in front of it, one of the ones without a weapon. A Narn had his gun pointed straight at him.

Reona felt the world slow slightly. Archer yelled behind her. "You will stop this!"

The Narn said something that didn't get translated and turned back toward Malcolm. Reona saw Malcolm close his eyes and felt her own heart sink. She had failed. Malcolm was going to die and this time no story change could save him. 

"No!" The Narn snapped to the side and instead of shooting Malcolm he shot Trip standing at the opposite door. Trip jerked back and fell slowly to the floor, where he lay still. Everything moved at once. Malcolm yelled and jumped the Narn, tearing the weapon from his hand and firing it in the Narn's face. Enterprise red and Narn green bolts started flying around the room and Reona dropped to the ground. 

Malcolm leaped from the Narn he had attacked and raced over to Trip. He sank to the floor next to the still figure and pulled Trip's head into his lap. "Trip?" he asked. Malcolm quickly felt his neck for a pulse and stilled as he found nothing. "No." he muttered. Trip was dead. Tears began to fall down his face.

"Trip!" cried Archer, as the man tried to push through the melee to reach his friend. The ship began to tilt, pushing everyone off their feet. Reona rolled across the floor, unable to stop herself as she banged against human and alien legs. She fetched up against the wall under the window and raised her head. She could see T'Pol through the smoke and red light fighting with the rest of the Enterprise crew. Hoshi was lying on the floor, either unconscious or dead. The no killing rule didn't apply at this point. Archer was lost in the room somewhere and she hadn't seen Travis since the last time she was on the Bridge. 

Tears started down Reona's face as the ship rocked and shook under her. They couldn't hold out much longer. They were going to lose. Reona saw Malcolm still holding onto Trip's body, cradling it as everything broke apart around them. It didn't seem worth while to move anymore, not with everyone's death coming soon. It was over.

The En…

Reona's hand shot out and latched onto the black plot bunny's ears, pulling the animal around to face her in the smoke and red light. "Stop." she hissed at it.

Trip came awake with a gasp, waking his lover. Trip began to tremble as his dream raced around his head in jumbled pieces. Malcolm pulled him closer to his side and stroked his hair. "Shh, it's all right. It was only a dream, love." he muttered, wondering what had disturbed his lover so. Trip sniffled into Malcolm's shoulder and Malcolm frowned as he felt wetness on his skin. Malcolm sat up, pulling Trip into his lap and yanking the blanket up to wrap him in it. He began to mutter softly to Trip, trying to calm him. It took several minutes but Trip finally calmed down, resting against Malcolm. After a few moments of silence Malcolm spoke. "What was that all about?" he asked.

Trip shuddered and sat up a little. Malcolm hugged him around the waist loosely. "I've never had a dream like that before." said Trip softly.

Malcolm's eyebrows drew together. "How so?" he asked.

"This dream…this nightmare was so real, Malcolm. We were being attacked and there was this…thing that wanted to kill one of us but only one of us. The aliens were tough and were boarding the ship. You…they cornered you. In the observation lounge on Deck 1 and there was a fire fight. One of them was going to shoot you but I made a sound and got shot instead." Trip felt Malcolm squeeze him and smiled slightly. "I think the ship then blew up or something after that." He rested against Malcolm again and felt the other man stroke his hair.

"That sounds like a horrible nightmare." Malcolm said in agreement. "But it was only a nightmare, Trip. None of it happened." 

Trip sighed, now that the adrenaline in his system was leaving he was beginning to feel sleepy again. "I know." He kissed Malcolm's jaw. "Thank you." he whispered. 

Malcolm smiled and slid back on the bed to lay down. He pulled Trip around and settled his lover's head back on his shoulder. "I love you, Trip." Malcolm said.

Trip yawned a little and lay his palm on Malcolm's heart, smiling as he felt its beat. "I love you too, Malcolm." he muttered back, half sleep. Malcolm kissed his forehead and closed his eyes. Both were soon asleep again.

A white bunny hopped down the hall outside their door, an irritated author following it. 


End file.
